Electric-lamp lighter



(No Model.)

J. E. MGLAUGflILIN.`

ELECTRIC LAMP LIGHTER.

Patented June Z6, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENTY OFFICE0 JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-LAMP LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed March 22| 1893.

T0 aZ'Z whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric- Lamp Lighters, of which the following is a specification. i

My invention has reference to improvements 1n electric lamp lighters, the operating mechanism of which is housed in the socket holder or frame of the lamp.

The invention is primarily designed for incandescent electricl lamps, in which case the operating mechanism will be located within the socket, but it is equally applicable to arc lamps, and to other electrical translating devices, whlch` it may be necessary or desirable to start and stop from a distance, without manipulating by hand the circuits which carry the heavy currents which feed such translating devices.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, I have illustrated my invention as applied to incandescent electric lamps, as follows:

Figure 1, is a side elevation, partly in section of an incandescent electric-lamp lighter with the shell of the socket removed. Fig. 2, 1s a top plan view; with the shell and the upper holding disk removed. Fig. 3, is a like view, with additional parts removed and others shown in section. Fig. 4, is an inverted plan View of the upper holding disk and of a portion of the operating mechanism. Fig. 5, 1s a plan, partly in section, of a detail of the operating mechanism, and Fig. 6, is a diagram, illustrating the circuit connections between the lamp and the operating mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

the axis of the core 7 5 the other electro-mag- Patent No. 521,809, dated June 26, 1894.

Serial No. 467,134. (No inodeL) net, 5, has also polar extensions, 8, 8, from each of which projects a lug 9, through which passes a pintle l0, which is fixed in the lower disk, and whereby the magnet 5, is pivoted so that it can swing in a horizontal plane. The polar extensions terminate in straight edges 1l,which are radiidrawn from the center of the pintle 10, so that when the magnet 5 is swung toward the magnet 4;, the polar extensions will or may come in contact and match together. In addition to the lug 9, the upper polar extension S, of electro magnet 5, is formed with two parallel arms l2, between which is pivoted a pawl I3, which is acted upon by a spring I1, secured to the polar extension, passing between the arms l2, and bearing upon the pawl. It will now be seen that when the two magnets are energized to present opposing poles to each other, the pivoted electro-magnet 5, will swing toward the magnet 4:, and will carry with it the pawl 13, which may thus be made to actuate a ratchet, as will presently appear. It is also clear, that the same movement is obtained when only one of the magnets is energized, so that in place of the other electro-magnet asimple iron structure may be substituted; but for reasons which will be explained farther on the construction shown is preferable.

On the other side of the diametric plane marked by the pillars 3, 3, and journaled in the disks l, 2, is a shaft I4', which carries a ratchet wheel l5, and below the same a circuit breaking wheel 16, and below the latter, a contact ring or sleeve 17. The ratchet wheel is in the path of the pawl 13, and the parts are so proportioned that when the magnet 5 swings toward the magnet 4, the shaft 14 is given one eighth. of a revolution. The circuit breaking wheel 16, is made of metal, with four segments 16', of insulating material inserted in its rim, each segment extending throughout an arc of one eighth of the circumference of the wheel, and alternating with equal metallic segmental portions. The wheel is directly mounted upon the shaft 14', so that it is in electrical contact with the same, and a metal spring l8,`bears upon therim of the wheel 16. This spring is shown as shaped from a plate 19 secured upon an insulating block 20, fixed upon the lower disk 1.

The contact ring or sleeve 17, is directly mounted upon the shaft 14:', and upon this IOO sleeve bears a contact spring 21, carried by or constituting an extension of a metai arm 22, depending from the upper disk 2. This arm 22, is electrically connected with the slotted sleeve or lamp holder 23, by means of the screw 24, or in any other suitable manner. The sleeve 23 constitutes one terminal of the incandescent lamp which it receives, the other terminal being formed by spring lingers 25, which are formed at the free end of a metal plate 26, secured to the under side of the upper disk 2, which for this purpose has a radial recess 27. rlhe disk 2, has a central opening 28, through which the spring fingers 25 project beyond the upper face of the disk. To the arm 26, is connected a bracket 29, which carries a binding screw 30, to which one of the leading wires 3l is'connected, the other leading wire 32, being connected with a binding screw 33, on plate 19.

The coils of the two electro-magnets are connected in series as shown, and the terminais of the coil circuit are connected in a shunt around the lamp (or other translating device) in any suitable manner. These circuit connections are illustrated in Fig. 6, where the main portions of the operating mechanism are also indicated. By reference to this tigure of drawings, it will be seen that the circuit of the lamp 34, includes the springs 18 and 21, circuit breaking wheel 16, and the contact sleeve 17, while the electro-magnets 4, 5, are in a shunt around the lamp and other devices. In this shunt circuit is included a key or push-button 35, which may be located at any distance from the lamp socket, and in the saine circuit I have also shown an artit`i cial resistance 36, which may or may not be used, as will be presently explained.

Systems of incandescent electric lighting are usually fed with currents having a tension of either one hundred and ten volts, or fifty-tive volts, and in order to prevent the heating of the electro-magnets, the shunt circuit in which they are included should be one ot' considerable resistance. For this reason the magnets are wound with a considerable quantity of rather tine wire, and for the same reason I prefer to use two electro-magnets, in series. Witha main circuit carrying current of not more than it'ty-five volts, the artificial resistance 36, may be omitted, but with currents of one hundred and ten volts and more the artificial resistance will, as a rule, be required.

The operation of the invention will now be readily understood. Supposing that the apparatus be in the condition shown in the drawings, that is to say, with the spring 18 upon an insulating segment of the break wheel 16, in which case the lamp circuit is open. It' now the push-button 35 is depressed, the shunt circuit is closed and the two magnets are energized, whereby the magnet 5, is made to swing toward the magnet 4, and the pawl 13, engaging the ratchet 15, imparts to the shaft 14 a partial rotation (one eighth), and

carries a metallic segment of the wheel16 into contact with spring 18, thereby closing the lamp circuit. The push button should uow be released, but even if kept down for some time no harm is done, since the resistance of the shunt circuit is made so high that the magnets cannot be heated to a dangerous degree. When the push button is released, the pivoted magnet is carried back to its original position by any suitable retract1le spring, suchfor instance as the spring 37, shown in Fig. 3, and the pawl 13, freely rides over a tooth ot' the ratchet. When the push-button is now againdepressed, the same operation of the pivoted magnet, the pawl and ratchet is repeated, and the Wheel 16 carries an insulating segment into contact with spring 18, whereby the lamp circuit is broken. Thus by depressing the push-button the lamp may be lighted or extinguished, as the case may be, or other translating devices may be started or stopped at a great distance from the push-button. v

Having now fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An electric-lamp lighter composed of two electro magnets connected in series in a shunt around the lamp terminals, one of which magnets is fixed and the other constituting an armature to the first; a circuit breaking and making wheel in the lamp circuit actuated by the armature, and a push button or key in the shunt, at a distance from the lamp, for closing and opening the shunt, substantially as described.

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2. In an electric-lamp lighter, the combination of two bar electro-magnets having laterally extended pole pieces, one of which magnets is fixed and the other pivoted, to act as an armature to the first; with a circuit controller in the lamp circuit, actuated by the armature, and a high resistance shunt around the lamp terminals, including the electromagnets, and a circuit controlling push-button or key in the shunt and at a distance from the lamp, substantially as described.

3. In an electric-lamp lighter, the combination of a fixed bar electro-magnet having laterally extended pole pieces, and a pivoted bar electro-magnet having similar pole pieces in inductive proximity to the pole pieces of the fixed magnet; with a shunt around the lamp terminals including the coils of the electromagnets and an artificial resistance, all in series, a circuit breaking wheel in the lamp circuit, actuated by the armature, and a circuit controller for the shunt circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN.

Witnesses:

F. T. CHAPMAN, Jos. FoRREsT.

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